Apple plans cheaper, Nano-based phone

[thedwp]

Check this out:

Apple plans cheaper, Nano-based phone: JP Morgan


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc. (AAPL.O: Quote, Profile, Research) plans to launch a cheaper version of the iPhone in the fourth quarter that could be based on the ultra-slim iPod Nano music player, according to a JP Morgan report.
Kevin Chang, a JP Morgan analyst based in Taiwan, cited people in the supply channel that he did not name and an application with the U.S Patent and Trademark office for his report dated July 8.
Apple filed a patent application document dated July 5 that refers to a multifunctional handheld device with a circular touch pad control, similar to the Nano's scroll wheel.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment.
Long lines of people turned out on June 29 when U.S. sales began for the iPhone, a mobile phone with a music player and Web browser. Analysts have estimated that sales in the first weekend were as high as 700,000 units.
Chang said a way to follow up the iPhone with a cheaper version would be to convert the Nano into a phone and price it at $300 or lower. The iPhone sells for $500 and $600, depending on storage space.
"We believe that iPod Nano will be converted into a phone because it's probably the only way for Apple to launch a lower end phone without severely cannibalizing iPod Nano," he said noting that the new phone could have "rather limited functionality."
Because of the anticipated lower price, 2008 sales of 30 million to 40 million units "is achievable," according to Chang.
This would be a much larger volume than is expected of the first iPhone, Apple has targeted sales of 10 million units in 2008, which would give it a 1 percent share of the global market.

Sales of the iPhone are expected to be limited to a small percentage of the market due to its high price tag, particularly in the United States where 85 percent of consumers tend to spend $100 or less on cell phones.
But analysts predict that a cheaper phone from Apple, which leads the digital music player market, could pose a much bigger threat to long-established phone makers such as Nokia (NOK1V.HE: Quote, Profile, Research), Motorola (MOT.N: Quote, Profile, Research), Samsung Electronics (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sony Ericsson, owned by Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Ericsson (ERICb.ST: Quote, Profile, Research).
Taiwan's Catcher Technology (2474.TW: Quote, Profile, Research) will be the "major source of metal casing" for the new phone, according to Chang, who cited an unidentified channel source.

[mc751n]

Someone already posted about this:
http://www.everythingiphone.com/foru...-you-4850.html

[xoulo]

i dont wann read it all, can someone tell me in a short paragraph?

[lucky8926]

Originally Posted by xoulo

i dont wann read it all, can someone tell me in a short paragraph?

Sure: Apple plans cheaper, Nano-based phone.......

[xoulo]

That wouldnt be awesome. because the screen on the nano is small.... so its only intended for ipod and phone use? ( on a 1inch screen)

[wjp09]

Its just a rumor.

[robhon]

This is the same prediction I made long ago here on EiP. This first iPhone is the high end phone. Even though people are saying they want this or that to be added for iPhone 2.0, the only logical place for Apple to go with a second phone is down market. NanoPhone will be the next hardware device. iPhone 2.0 will be all software.

[ColsTiger]

Just one more post about future apple phone devices. I'm sure they'll come and they'll probably be targeted at the lower priced phone market, but they won't ever have the touchscreen interface of this phone for that price.